These are hard times in Jaffa in the wake of the violent events of the past 24 hours. It's a time of ongoing helplessness over an uncertain future from the perspective of the older residents, Arabs and Jews alike. In days such as these it is incumbent upon us, all residents of this enchanting city, to look at the glass half-full and highlight the co-existence between Arabs and Jews that has always been the case, even before the inception of the state.
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Yes, there have always been anomalous events that cloud the viability of co-existence. These uncommon events tend to occur due to a lingering sense of social discrimination, which triggers frustration that sometimes translates into violence. Life can be beautiful in Jaffa, and we all have neighbors, Jews and Arabs, who we have been friends with for years. These are neighbors who celebrate the various religious holidays together; neighbors who share the unique foods of both cultures; neighbors who take care of everyone's children in times of emergency; neighbors whose children play outside together despite the socio-economic gaps. Examples such as these and many more are a part of my daily life as an Arab resident of Jaffa. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
However, we cannot bury our heads in the sand and ignore the difficulties. As an academic researcher and clinician, I must diagnose an illness precisely to provide my patients the most effective care. And there's no doubt that the worst disease afflicting Jaffa's Arab residents is their dire socioeconomic situation in general and the catastrophic housing situation in particular. Both these problems have always been a trigger for violent, individual anomalous events that spread to the masses, as we just witnessed.
It's not enough to turn the city into a first-rate tourist attraction for Jews and Arabs alike, from Israel and abroad. The residents' standard of living must be improved so they don't feel like tourists in their own city. Sadly, I can't recall one serious project aimed at solving the severe housing problem afflicting Jaffa's longtime Arab residents. I am using this platform to call on all leaders and all investors who come to build in Jaffa to work on behalf of true inclusion for all residents and not to divide people along religious or socio-economic lines, which, to my sorrow, has been the case in Jaffa up to now when it comes to housing projects. The city must remain multi-cultural and eschew the creation of expensive real-estate bubbles only for the city's affluent residents.
There's no question that violence from all sides must be denounced and discouraged. But there's also a need for a broad view of the situation and to reduce the stimulations and provocations that can lead to outbursts of violence. This is where prudent law enforcement by the police comes in.
Enforcement doesn't just entail physical violence with horses and batons, which is sadly the case most times protests are dispersed in general and in Arab society specifically. Enforcement involves open dialogue and meeting with residents on the ground so that frustrations can be vented rather than suddenly erupting into violence. Smart enforcement includes personal self-restraint on the part of police officers in the field so that matters don't spiral out of control, as I've seen occur to my regret. The police must remember that truly keeping the peace means striving for long-term solutions rather than short-term solutions in the form of suppressing spontaneous riots.
I spent my entire childhood – as my own family dealt with severe economic hardships early on – with Jewish and Arab families in Jaffa. We were always good neighbors to one another. Recently, one of my dear childhood neighbors, Orly, with whom we shared a courtyard, gave me a call. She spoke fondly of those days, the food and games we shared together. Jaffa has always been a city of daily co-existence, with all its mosques, churches, and synagogues. Let us live together, Arabs and Jews.
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